Virgin Atlantic appears to have reduced its order commitment for Airbus A350-1000s as it signed for seven A330-900s during this year’s Farnborough air show.
The UK carrier originally planned to take 12 A350-1000s – eight on direct order and another four acquired through US lessor Air Lease – through an agreement disclosed at the 2016 Farnborough show.
But Air Lease stated at the end of 2021 that Virgin Atlantic would take another pair of A350-1000s through the company.
As a result Virgin Atlantic leases six A350-1000s and has taken delivery of six of the eight A350s it ordered from Airbus.
The airframer’s latest backlog figures, for July, indicate that the airline has axed the outstanding pair.
Virgin Atlantic revealed an agreement for another seven A330-900s at the Farnborough show, and these were formally recorded by Airbus on 23 July.
The airframer’s July figures include other orders unveiled during the show, from Japan Airlines and Berniq Airways, and the manufacturer also confirmed Vietjet as the customer behind 20 A330neos ordered in June.
Airbus also states that it secured an agreement for 15 A321neos in early July, allocated to an undisclosed customer.
Over the first seven months of this year the airframer has accumulated net orders for 367 aircraft.
Airbus also delivered a total of 400 aircraft over the period. These included 77 handed over in July.
